To "lose weight" is undeniably the most common New Years Resolution. Where and how to start is quite possibly the most confusing. With January the busiest month for gyms, fitness equipment and diet advertisements, it is essential to start with you and your relationship with food. 

1. Change your relationship with food: “a healthy relationship with food means that one is able to eat for the reasons of physiological rather than emotional hunger,” said Wendy Oliver-Pyatt, MD author of Fed Up: The Breakthrough 10-Step No Diet Fitness Plan.  By saying “you're watching what you eat, it implies that your food intake is externally regulated.” Know the difference between eating when you are hungry vs. eating when you are stressed. If chocolate cake makes you feel happy, or less stressed, reassign that reward by creating and doing something productive.
2. You absolutely must eat breakfast: the Institute for Integrative Nutrition refers to breakfast as literally, “breaking the fast.” Regardless of how many hours of sleep you get (I recommend at least seven), your body has undergone a fast. That and dehydration. Drink a full glass of water within the first 30-45 minutes of waking up. And try and eat at least an apple or drink an oatmeal or Vega smoothie. Consider preparing everything the night before, especially if “I have no time to eat breakfast” is your excuse.
3. Start snacking more: You need energy throughout the day and nutritious food choices will abate cravings and sustain stamina. Cravings set in when blood sugar levels drop, which will cause overeating when lunch and dinner time rolls around. “"Your blood sugar can fall too low after just 4 hours of not eating," says Valerie Berkowitz, M.S., R.D., nutrition director at the Center for Balanced Health in New York City.” Buy apples (Granny Smith are best), nuts (almonds, pistachios and sunflower seeds), raisins, dried fruit (high in fiber) and yogurt. Store in the refrigerator at work. If you frequently dine at Subway, buy the pre-cut apples for your three o’clock, afternoon snack. Here is why I don’t recommend buying granola bars.
4. Create a calorie deficit with exercise: simply, burning more calories than what you eat. Burning calories through daily exercise will not only enhance your health, but your mood as well. Short, high-intensity aerobic exercise (two miles under 20 minutes) especially will burn more calories. According to American College of Sports Medicine, “a 154 pound person who runs at a pace of 8 mph will burn 320 calories in 20 minutes. That same person, walking at 3 mph for an hour, will burn 235 calories.”
   Bonus: substitute #4: Keep sweets out of sight, out of mind: Do not buy sweets, desserts or other high-fat foods. Remove these items from  your pantry, cupboards, desk drawers, under the beds. If they are not around,  you cannot eat it. If a sweet tooth is your Achilles' Heel, (it is mine), stock up on raisins, apples and bananas or low-calorie gum. See "10 Healthy Foods that Kill Hunger"
5. Split portions in half -- immediately: anywhere you eat, anytime you eat (especially when dining out), cut the portion in half. This includes sandwiches. Sure, you’re hungry enough to eat two servings, but this is only what you think. Our eyes tend to be bigger than our stomachs. Try drinking a glass of water before digging in. Remember, individually sized packaging often contains three or more servings (read the nutrition label). Most restaurants will serve portions that are four times larger than what is recommended.

About the author: Stefan Pinto worked on Wall Street as a web designer and built websites for Merck, Merrill Lynch and AT&T. Following a 60-pound weight loss, Stefan Pinto accidentally changed his life, moved to South Beach, Miami and was eventually discovered by a model scout while buying a turkey wrap. Watch for him in an upcoming episode of The Maury Show, "Geek to Chic: Amazing Transformations"